


Terra guardando il sole

by ViimaTheFailcat



Series: Solem et Terram [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Companion Piece, Gen, M/M, Not Beta Read, POV switch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-19
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-05 04:23:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4165713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViimaTheFailcat/pseuds/ViimaTheFailcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Giovanni's point of view of the events of Solem et Terram.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's unbeta'd because I'm living on the edge now. Also I don't want to burden my beta with another fic...

“How was Pewter City?” Ariana asked.

 

Petrel gave a generic “ehhh” and Archer smirked.

 

“Pewter City was surprisingly fruitful,” he said, tapping his pokenav, “Mister Giovanni, we found something that might pique your interest.”

 

Giovanni looked up from some papers, cocking an eyebrow. “I’m listening.”

 

“Do you remember a few years ago, when there was a group called Team Galactic in Sinnoh?”

 

Giovanni narrowed his eyes. “That rings a bell.”

 

“Team what now?” Petrel asked.

 

“Team Galactic. Not much news of them reached Kanto since they were not taken seriously for a long time, but it turned out they were very dangerous indeed. According to the news, their goal was to destroy this world and create a new one.”

 

“Where is this going, Archer?” Giovanni asked.

 

“I’m getting to it, sir. Team Galactic’s leader planned to destroy the world by harnessing the power of Dialga and Palkia, the legendary pokemon. After Team Galactic’s plans were stopped, most of the people involved were arrested, but the leader of Team Galactic was never found. According to eyewitnesses, he had managed to open a portal, jumped in and never came out. Nothing was heard of him in two years and he was presumed dead.” He paused.

 

“...Was?” Petrel asked.

 

“Yes, was. Until now.” Archer turned his pokenav around to show Ariana, Petrel and Giovanni the screen. There was a picture of a man with sunken, blue eyes and spiky blue hair. His expression was settled into a deep frown and he looked like he deeply hated everything under the sky.

 

Petrel’s confused frown cleared in recognition. “Holy sh-! We saw that guy! In Pewter City!”

 

“Indeed we did,” Archer smirked, “It turns out that Cyrus Redcastle, the leader of Team Galactic is alive and well and in Kanto to backpack.”

 

Giovanni rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It sounded like Mister Redcastle was running from something.

 

Petrel whistled. “The same guy who has control over two legendaries? That’s impressive.”

 

“Maybe you should send someone to have a chat with him, Gio,” Ariana smiled, “Just to say hello. It would be good to have him on our side.”

 

“Maybe I will,” Giovanni smirked, “Did he say where he was heading off to?”

 

***

 

One of Giovanni’s numerous contacts reported that Cyrus was seen entering Celadon City, so Giovanni headed there as soon as he could. He found Cyrus quickly, eating in front of a restaurant with his pokemon eating around him.

 

Giovanni went to sit down at his table while he was looking down at the front of his coat. How odd.

 

Cyrus looked up and blinked at him, giving Giovanni a good look at his face. The man looked different from the picture Archer had shown him. It was still the same person, but the expression was startlingly different. The sharp blue eyes were surrounded dark circles and seemed even more sunken. The hateful look in his eyes and the deep frown were gone too. In their place was… Giovanni couldn’t name it, but the man was drastically different. Cyrus looked… haunted. Skittish. Timid.

 

Giovanni had a hard time believing this was the same man who had control over Dialga and Palkia.

 

“This seat isn’t taken, is it?” Giovanni asked.

 

“It’s not,” Cyrus said quietly.

 

Giovanni smiled and took his hat off. He remembered Petrel saying about Cyrus’ Houndoom and its horns and gender. “That’s a beautiful Houndoom. Female?” He kept a close eye on Cyrus’ face, gauging even the smallest changes in his expression.

 

“No. From Sinnoh, where Houndooms have shorter horns.” Cyrus’ expression didn’t change, but his body language hinted at uncomfortableness.

 

“Ah, of course,” Giovanni grinned, “You’re from Sinnoh?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How have you liked Kanto this far?”

 

“Warmer than Sinnoh.”

 

Giovanni laughed. “Of course.” Something moved in the front of Cyrus’ coat and Giovanni’s smile dropped. “What’s wrong with your coat?”

 

“Found an abandoned Cleffa at Mt. Moon. It doesn’t like crowds.”

 

“And you took it under your wing,” Giovanni said, feigning admiration, “That is very kind of you, Cyrus.”

 

The change in Cyrus was instantaneous. He froze and stared at Giovanni like a Stantler in headlights. Frightened.

 

Giovanni smiled and held his palms out. “Now, now. There is no need to be alarmed.”

 

“Who are you? How do you know me?”

 

“My name is Giovanni, the leader of Viridian City gym. A little bird told me the famous Cyrus of Team Galactic was in Kanto and I just had to see him myself.”

 

Cyrus shifted, looking somewhat desperate.

 

“Now, after two years of silence, I assume you’ve left that life behind.” Giovanni smiled sharply. “Unless you have another plan…?”

 

“No. I don’t have a plan. I’m here to just relax,” Cyrus said, everything but relaxed.

 

“Backpacking, correct? Do you have a place to sleep?”

 

“I have a tent.”

 

Giovanni offered him a place. Cyrus didn’t say yes, but he didn’t refuse either. And he took Giovanni’s card. Giovanni stayed at the table and watched the blue-haired man hurry off.

 

Cyrus got startled way too easily for a man who tried to destroy the world. What happened to him?

 

***

 

Just a few days later, on a rainy evening, Cyrus appeared on Giovanni’s doorstep, soaking wet and with a broken tent. Giovanni lead Cyrus to one of the guest rooms and left him to settle down and have a warm shower which he desperately needed. The gym leader went to the kitchen and started warming water for the other’s tea.

 

It was clear that Cyrus was somewhat uncomfortable with him. He would have to make the other lower his guard. Giovanni smiled. He had just the thing…

 

Cyrus arrived from the shower and soon after his Persian appeared into the kitchen too, as Giovanni had hoped. All Giovanni had to do was to act around Persian like he always did and show Cyrus he had a softer side. Simple.

 

After a while of silence Cyrus spoke up. “There is a few things I think you should know.”

 

Giovanni looked up. “Go on.”

 

“Some nights I get nightmares and they tend to be very intense. After nightmares I tend to have panic attacks and I get very disoriented. So if you hear me screaming at three in the morning, there is nothing to worry about.”

 

As Cyrus talked, Giovanni felt his face fall in astonishment.

 

“Also my grip on reality tends to slip slightly from time to time,” Cyrus added, “Nothing serious, just… inconvenient.” Giovanni got the idea that Cyrus was going to say something else.

 

Giovanni waited for him to continue. “Anything else I should know about?”

 

“... I did mention panic attacks, didn’t I?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then yes, that’s about it.”

 

“Just one thing… If you have a nightmare, should I do something?”

 

“Pretend nothing happened.”

 

Giovanni lifted his eyebrows. Nightmares, slipping reality and panic attacks? What Cyrus had been _doing_ during the two years when he was in obscurity? “Ah. All right. Duly noted.”

 

“I usually wake up very early, so I’ll cook breakfast,” Cyrus said. Giovanni was about to tell him that he didn’t have to do that and Cyrus continued: “As a thank you for letting me sleep here.”

 

“Do as you wish,” Giovanni smiled and held his hands up.

 

***

 

The next night when Giovanni got home, he found Cyrus on the porch, looking at the stars with his Cleffa on his lap. Cyrus showed him a few constellations and told him the story of two lovers and how they ended up on the sky as constellations.

 

As Cyrus spoke, Giovanni was fascinated at how silently passionate this man could be, under that indifferent facade. Cyrus was a far more complicated man than Giovanni had given him credit for.

 

Cyrus mentioned his grandfather at some point, looking distantly sad.

 

"Were you close to him?" Giovanni asked quietly.

 

Cyrus nodded. "He... he was more of a parent for me than my actual parents." Then Cyrus looked a bit startled and changed the subject: "What about you? What are your grandparents like?"

 

Giovanni allowed him, telling him about his large family, until Cyrus’ Cleffa chirped and looked up at the sky.

 

“A shooting star,” Giovanni said, blowing smoke out of his mouth lazily, “Make a wish.”

 

Giovanni didn’t know what he would wish for, since he already had most of what he wanted. Besides, wishing on a star is childish.

 

But still, he found himself sentimentally wishing he had someone to share his life with. He wasn’t getting any younger and he frequently found himself feeling somewhat lonely during evenings.

 

That, and his mother has been nagging him to get married.

 

Giovanni cringed to himself and hoped Cyrus couldn’t read minds. You never knew with those eyes he had.

 

He excused himself and went to bed.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

One morning when Giovanni got to the kitchen for breakfast, he found Cyrus coughing to his fist.

“That didn’t sound good,” Giovanni said.

 

“Sorry. I think I’m staying in today,” Cyrus sniffed.

Giovanni felt Cyrus’ forehead. The other did seem to have a low fever. “As you should. I couldn’t let you go out in that state.” Giovanni gave took out a box of ginger tea and gave it to Cyrus. “Try this tea. It makes me feel better when I’m ill.”

They ate breakfast as normal and Giovanni left for work, promising to send someone to bring soup for Cyrus for lunch.

***

“Petrel, I need you to find someone to go by my house to drop these off.” Giovanni gave Petrel a few containers.

“What’s this? Soup?” Petrel asked, shaking one of them.

“Yes. Cyrus is sick and sleeping it off.”

“Aw man, poor dude. I’ll take these to him myself, don’t worry, boss!” Petrel gave a salute and left.

***

When Giovanni got home, he arrived to a quiet house. Cyrus must have been sleeping still. Giovanni cooked some simple soup and went to wake Cyrus.

Cyrus still looked awful, Giovanni noted when the other opened the door. “I made dinner. Are you hungry?”

Cyrus blinked like a confused Hoothoot. “Not really.”

Giovanni touched his forehead and was shocked at how hot it was. Cyrus sighed a bit and pressed against his palm. “You’re burning up,” he breathed, pulling his hand away, “Have you drank anything?”

Cyrus frowned in concentration. “Tea… with breakfast. I’ve been sleeping for most of the day.”

 

“Sleeping is good… But you need to drink something. Tea?”

Cyrus nodded and followed Giovanni to the kitchen and sat down, looking dizzy. Giovanni started the tea and set a bowl of warm soup in front of Cyrus. Cyrus blinked again.

“I know you said you don’t feel like eating, but try to eat some, just a bit,” Giovanni said, “While waiting for the tea.”

 

Cyrus took the spoon and started eating obediently.

_He must have been an easy child to raise_ , Giovanni thought and sat down to eat as well. “You look worse than this morning.”

 

“I feel worse than this morning.”

 

“You should see a doctor,” Giovanni said worriedly.

 

“I’ve been through worse,” Cyrus said.

Giovanni was about to ask about that, but the tea water was ready and he stood to prepare the tea instead.

Cyrus returned to his room immediately after eating the soup and drinking the tea. Giovanni let him. After putting the dishes away, he settled down in the living room to read.

After a few hours a Houndoom appeared at the edge of his vision. It just sat there, occasionally whining carefully.

Giovanni blinked and looked at it.

Houndoom whined again, louder this time.

“What?”

Whine. It stood up and paced a bit.

“What is it? Are you hungry?”

A Weavile appeared from behind the Houndoom and marched to Giovanni, grabbing his hand and pulling him off the sofa and to Cyrus’ room.

  
“Hey, hey! Let him sleep. He’s sick, he needs-” Giovanni fell silent when he saw Cyrus’ face drenched in sweat. Had his fever rosen again? Giovanni shook Cyrus gently. “Cyrus? Cyrus, wake up.”

Cyrus just groaned quietly in his sleep. Houndoom whined worriedly.

Giovanni wasn’t an expert, but he felt like this fever could be dangerous. He took the blanket off of Cyrus and lifted him to his arms. He would have to give the unconscious man a cold bath and take him to a doctor.

He took Cyrus to the nearest bathroom, marveling how light he was. What did this man eat? Starlight?

Giovanni settled Cyrus into the tub, plugged it and started filling it with cool water.

“Weaav!” Weavile jumped onto the edge of the tub and took Cyrus’ head onto its lap. Giovanni grabbed a towel, wetted it and wiped Cyrus’ brow with it.

Cyrus shivered and stirred a bit. Giovanni tried to bring the towel to his face again, but Cyrus pushed it away with a quiet groan.

“Cyrus?”

Cyrus’ eyes opened and he looked around, looking dizzy.

“Why am I having a bath with my clothes on?” Cyrus croaked.

Giovanni wiped Cyrus’ neck with the towel. “Your fever rose and your pokemon got worried. You didn’t even wake up when I carried you here.”

Cyrus muttered something.

“What?”

“If I needed a bath…”

 

“...Sure? Whatever you say.” Giovanni rubbed Cyrus’ face again and Cyrus’ eyes closed and the man pressed against the touch. “Your fever has gotten so high that I have to take you to a doctor.”

Cyrus’ head lolled.

“Hey? Cyrus?”

No reply.

Giovanni sighed, drained the tub and collected Cyrus to his arms again. Cyrus nuzzled his shoulder and muttered something.

“Thank you for showing… the stars… Grandpa...”

Giovanni lifted his brows. Now Cyrus was delirious. Great. He sat Cyrus down on his bed and Cyrus was about to lay down, but Giovanni pulled him upwards.

“Your shirt is wet. We need to change it,” Giovanni said.

“Oh,” Cyrus muttered.

Giovanni tugged the wet shirt off, hung it to dry and dug a clean, dry shirt from his backpack. As he stuffed Cyrus’ limp arms through the sleeves, he saw a lighter patch of skin on Cyrus’ left arm.

Giovanni’s eyes widened when he realized it was a scar. A jagged, ugly scar that ran from the middle of Cyrus’ inner forearm almost to his inner elbow. It was so pale that it seemed to shine in the dark room. Giovanni shook himself and pulled the shirt on Cyrus, cursing to himself. He didn’t sign up for this.

Cyrus laid back again and Giovanni pulled him back up and cupped his face with both hands. “Cyrus, stay with me.”

Cyrus just blinked and closed his eyes, passing out again.

Giovanni shook him gently. “Cyrus. Wake up.”

Cyrus didn’t wake up and Giovanni cursed again. He took Cyrus’ coat, wrapped the man in it and carried him to his car. He strapped the other in and drove off with him to the private hospital.

A few nurses took Cyrus away and told Giovanni to sit down in the waiting room.

After some time a nurse came to him and told him that Cyrus would be okay after getting some sleep, medicine and fluids.

“Can I see him?” Giovanni asked.

“He’s asleep, but sure. As long as you don’t bother him. Also, try to make him drink something when he wakes up.”

Giovanni taken to Cyrus and he sat down next to the bed, waiting for him to wake up.

When Giovanni had lost track of time, he heard a faint sigh from the bed.

“Cyrus? Are you awake?”

“I’m back,” Cyrus slurred. Giovanni sat on the edge of the bed, pouring some cool water into a plastic cup. “Here again.”

“You’re still not lucid, are you?” Giovanni sighed. “Sit up. The nurses told me to keep you hydrated.”

Cyrus sat up slowly. “I’m... sorry... That you had to come all the way here.”

“Don’t worry about that. Just focus on resting.” Giovanni grasped the back of Cyrus’ neck, holding his head still as he brought the cup to Cyrus’ lips. He wondered where Cyrus thought he was.

Cyrus drank all the whole cup eagerly and sighed when the water was gone. “I thought I was doing so well, too…”

 

“With what?” What was the boy on about now?

Cyrus was quiet for a moment. “The nightmares. They’re almost gone. I thought I was okay. Normal.”

 

Giovanni put the cup away, not sure what to say to that. “...You will be okay,” he said, “You just have to stay here for a few days until your fever breaks.”

 

“Last time it took two years.” Cyrus laid down and curled up.

Giovanni lifted his eyebrows. “Two years to recover from a fever?”

 

“It was my head. I was… not okay…” Cyrus clutched his head.

Giovanni frowned. Cyrus was in a hospital for the two years he was missing? Because of a mental issue, if Giovanni had understood Cyrus’ feverish ramblings correctly. “... What happened?”

 

“Too much,” Cyrus whispered, rubbing his arms.

“Long story?”

 

“Mmh… Is there anyone else in this room?”

 

Giovanni glanced at the room. “No. Just you and me. Why?”

 

“There’s someone… watching…”

 

“There’s no one here,” Giovanni reassured him, pouring more water for him. “Do you want more water?”

Giovanni pulled Cyrus to a sitting position and made him drink. When the cup was empty, Cyrus leant against the headboard. Giovanni arranged the pillows so it was more comfortable for him.

Cyrus’ gaze was still bright with fever and bouncing from spot to spot, never focusing on one place for longer than two seconds, chasing something that Giovanni couldn’t see. Cyrus screwed his shut tight and rubbed his arms, breathing deeply.

“What is it?”

Cyrus just shook his head.

“Cyrus…” Giovanni grasped his hands, prying them away from his arms. He realized that Cyrus had been pinching himself. What the hell? Why would he do that? “Everything is fine. You just have a fever, remember? It got so high I had to take you to the hospital. You’re going to be fine in a few days.”

“I-it’s coming… to get me… You h-have to go.”

 

Giovanni’s frowned. “I’m not going anywhere.”

 

“It’s going to get you t-too… Giovanni, please…” Cyrus sounded desperate.

 

“What is? There’s no one here.” Giovanni was starting to grow frustrated.

“Giratina… I-it’s going t-” An ambulance siren went off outside and Cyrus jolted violently. “It’s here,” he sobbed and curled up, shaking. “It’s too late… I’m sorry…”

The poor man was terrified, Giovanni realized. He wrapped his arms around Cyrus, rubbing his back. “That was just an ambulance,” he murmured, “Listen... It’s gone now.”

 

Cyrus uncurled slightly, but his breathing was still shallow and fast and he was still shaking. What happened to that man Archer had shown him? The ruthless man who tried to reboot the world was now this shaking wreck of a man. What _happened_?

 

“Should I call a nurse?”

 

Cyrus shook his head against Giovanni’s shoulder and clung to him.

Well then. What could he do, then? Giovanni sighed quietly and started singing in a quiet, low voice. He sung the same song his mother used to sing to him when he was a child. Slowly, Cyrus’ breathing slowed down and Cyrus fell asleep again. Giovanni settled him down on the bed and carded his hair, singing softly the whole time.

When Giovanni was sure Cyrus was asleep, he stopped signing and sighed again, rubbing his eyes. He did not sign up for this.

Giovanni must have fallen asleep at some point because he woke up to Cyrus shaking him gently.

“Giovanni. Wake up.”

Giovanni jolted and Cyrus jumped back, looking startled.

“Is everything okay?” Giovanni grasped Cyrus’ arms. By doing that, he caught a glimpse of the scar on Cyrus’ arm again.

This time Cyrus saw that he saw, and pulled back, covering it with his other hand. “Y-yes. I’m fine, but you…”

Giovanni blinked. “What about me?”

 

“Your neck must hurt.”

Giovanni stared at Cyrus, blinked and slowly rolled his neck, just now realizing that yes, his neck did hurt. A lot. “I-I’ll be fine… How are you feeling?”

 

“Better, I think.”

Giovanni sat on the edge of the bed again and got Cyrus another cup of water. “Do you know where you are?” he asked, giving the cup to Cyrus.

“In a hospital, obviously. Are we still in Viridian City?”

 

“Yes. You…” Giovanni hesitated, “you were really out of it earlier.”

 

Giovanni told Cyrus what happened when he wasn’t lucid enough to remember. He rubbed his neck, trying to relieve the pain. He really needed a neck massage right now. “You said you were in a hospital for two years.”

 

Cyrus nodded, looking away. “That happened, yes.”

 

“Do you want to tell me why? Or would you rather we just change the subject?” Giovanni added, feeling he was prying.

Cyrus sipped his water. “I suppose you deserve to know, now that you have seen me having a panic attack. Sorry about that, by the way.”

 

“It’s fine,” Giovanni said quietly.

Cyrus looked very uncomfortable. Giovanni was about to tell him he didn’t need to tell him if he didn’t want to talk about it yet, but Cyrus started talking. “Short version: I started Team Galactic and tried to destroy the world, my plans were thwarted, I got lost in a pocket dimension that… is not a good place for the human mind. Somehow I got out but I was… not okay. I spent the next two years in a mental hospital working on the problems I had before and after I… before Team Galactic.”

 

Giovanni stared at him. “...Before?”

 

Cyrus finally looked at Giovanni. “Healthy people don’t try to end the world.”

 

“Ah.”

“Sorry, it’s just… a long and exhausting story.”

 

“I understand. Some other time.” Giovanni wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear it anymore.

 

Cyrus finished his water and sat back. “Thank you.”

 

Giovanni just waved his hand and a silence fell, leaving the two men looking at each other. A few days ago, Giovanni had found the other man quite creepy, to be honest. Those deep, unblinking eyes with the expressionless face could unnerve anyone. But now that he’s seen Cyrus break down… he wasn’t that intimidated anymore.

 

“You look awful,” Cyrus finally said.

Giovanni barked a laugh. “You sure know how to flatter a man.” He was sure Cyrus wasn’t wrong, though. He hadn’t slept since last night and the nap he had had in that uncomfortable chair was not enough.

“How long have I been here?” Cyrus asked.

 

“...About 12 hours...” Giovanni wasn’t sure of the exact time.

 

“Have you been here the whole time?”

Ah. Damn. He _had_ been here the whole time. Why hadn’t he gone home once Cyrus fell asleep? Giovanni didn’t know.

Cyrus sighed. “Go home, Giovanni. Get some rest or you’ll get ill too.”

 

Giovanni smiled. “Don’t worry about me, just concentrate on getting better yourself. Besides, I don’t get sick.”

Cyrus snorted. “I guess the Kanto saying is true, then.”

 

“Which saying?”

 

“That simple-minded people don’t get ill.”

The nerve! After all Giovanni has done to him! “How dare y-” Then Giovanni noticed the subtle curving of Cyrus’ lip and realized the other was joking. “You’re teasing me.” So Cyrus _was_ capable of humor after all.

Giovanni was so surprised that he couldn’t help laughing. Cyrus seemed to laugh too, judging by the way his shoulders shook.

“How dare you,” Giovanni said, shaking his head in amusement. “I get the point. I’ll go home and rest. I’ll send someone to bring your pokemon to you…” He grew serious when he remembered what caused him to check up on Cyrus in the first place. Cyrus’ Houndoom and Weavile. “They were really worried about you, you know. Your Houndoom and Weavile dragged me into your room to check on you. They are very loyal.”

Cyrus shrugged modestly. “We’ve been through a lot together.”

 

Giovanni nodded and stood. “They’ve probably paced a hole into the floor by now. I’ll get them to you as soon as possible.”

***

Giovanni called Ariana on his way back, telling her he was going to take the day off and that he needed her to run an errand for him.

When he got home, Ariana was there waiting for him.

“You look awful,” she said without a hello.

“Why thank you, darling,” Giovanni deadpanned.

“Where have you been? Were you out the whole night?”

“Cyrus’ fever got worse and I had to take him to the hospital,” Giovanni said, unlocking the door and letting them in.

“And you stayed with him the whole night?” Giovanni could hear the smirk in her voice.

Giovanni cringed and thanked Arceus that Cyrus’ Houndoom and Weavile were waiting for him.

“Weaav!!”

“Houuu!!”

“Cyrus is fine now. He will get out in a few days. But you should get into your balls so Ariana can take you to him.”

Weavile and Houndoom looked at each other, nodded and ran off to Cyrus’ room. Giovanni and Ariana followed them. Cyrus’ pokeball belt was on his backpack, as he had said. Giovanni took it and Weavile and Houndoom got into their balls obediently.

“Cleef?”

“Is that a Cleffa?” Ariana asked. Cleffa floated to her. “It’s adorable!” Ariana took it in her arms and Cleffa chirped, nuzzling her.

“I’ll cook some soup, then you can go,” Giovanni said.

They went to the kitchen and Giovanni cooked a simple spicy tomato soup and poured some into a thermos. He insisted Ariana have some too before leaving. They sat down to eat. Ariana had a small smirk on her face.

Giovanni sighed. “What is it?”

“Normally you would be seething mad in situation like this.”

Giovanni raised an eyebrow.

“He’s very good for you,” Ariana giggled.

“We’re not together,” Giovanni said.

Ariana ignored him. “I bet he told you to take a day off. I know how you hate taking days off.”

Giovanni rolled his eyes and looked down at his soup.

“What’s wrong?”

“When we were at the hospital… He… He was really panicky.”

Ariana leant her chin on her palm, putting on her tell-me-all-your-worries face. “Yes?”

“I mean, he was really out of it. Do you remember the picture Archer showed us? Cyrus looked so different in that. He was all frowns and hatred and… you remember that picture, right?”

Ariana nodded. “I do remember.”

“And now he’s… he’s a _wreck_ , Ariana. What on earth happened to him to make him like that?”

“I’m more interested in why you care.”

That shut Giovanni up. “Why… why do I care?”

Ariana nodded, a smirk stretching her lips.

  
Giovanni was silent, trying to scramble for words. Why _did_ he care? “Just take the damn soup to him,” he finally snapped.

“As you say, darling~”


	3. Chapter 3

“I can’t believe that small weasel’s nerve,” Archer grumbled as he strode to the door of Giovanni’s house.

 

Petrel yawned. “I almost admire him.”

 

“Shut up, Petrel,” Archer snapped, ringing the doorbell, “I didn’t ask you.”

 

“Shutting up,” Petrel said.

 

It took a while, but the door opened, revealing not Giovanni, but Cyrus. In a mild state of undress, judging by the lack of pants.

 

Archer collected himself quickly. “Is Giovanni awake? There’s an emergency.”

 

“He’s asleep. I’ll go get him. Come in to wait.” Cyrus stepped back into the house and Archer and Petrel followed him.

 

The Cyrus took them to the kitchen. “Do you want coffee?”

 

“Oh Arceus, _please_ ,” Petrel moaned.

 

Cyrus clicked the coffee maker on and left the kitchen. As soon as he was out of earshot, Petrel asked: “Was he wearing pants?”

 

Archer grunted.

 

“I never noticed how long his legs are,” Petrel mused, stroking his ridiculous goatee. “Kinda hot.”

 

Archer scowled.

 

Petrel’s eyes widened. “Wait, that shirt… That was boss’ shirt, wasn’t it? It was way too big for Cy-man.”

 

Archer stared at him. Petrel stared at Archer.

 

“Are him and boss…?” Petrel asked, voice lowering to a scandalized whisper.

 

Archer felt his cheeks heat up. ”Don’t be stupid!” he hissed, “Boss deserves someone much better than… than that _robot_!”

 

Petrel lifted his eyebrows, speechless for once in his life.

 

Thankfully, that was when the robot decided to return to the kitchen.

 

“He’ll be down soon,” he said and served them coffee. Petrel kept staring at him, especially his legs and ass.

 

“We don’t have time for this,” Archer grumbled, trying to draw Petrel back to reality. Petrel just nodded absently and didn’t even stop ogling.

 

“You just have to wait until Giovanni comes down,” Cyrus said and rose to his tiptoes to reach something from a high shelf, making the hem of the shirt ride up on his thighs. Petrel’s eyes widened.

 

Archer kicked him under the table.

 

Cyrus turned around. “...Is everything okay?”

 

“Yeah,” Petrel ground out, “Just peachy.” A pause. “The coffee. It’s a bit hot. B-be careful...”

 

“Oh. Okay.” The robot poured some coffee into the thermo mug and Archer kept a close eye on how he made it. Exactly how Giovanni liked it.

 

Archer felt jealousy flare in his chest.

 

Giovanni appeared. “So that’s where my shirt went,” he said mildly as he saw Cyrus.

 

“I just grabbed the first thing I found.” The robot actually smiled. If you could call that twitch of lips a smile. “I made you coffee and a sandwich to go.”

 

Giovanni smiled. _Smiled_. Archer was so astonished he almost missed what Giovanni said. “Where would I be without you, _amore_.”

 

 _Amore_?!

 

Petrel started coughing and Giovanni and the robot turned to look at them.

 

“What kind of emergency were you talking about?” Giovanni asked, like nothing had happened.

 

Archer stood up, leaving his half-drank coffee on the table. “I’ll explain on the way.”

 

They left the kitchen, but Petrel stayed behind to chat with Cyrus.

 

“Petrel!” Archer called out. Petrel and Cyrus appeared to the hall and Archer and Petrel went to the door, while Giovanni stayed behind with the robot to exchange a few murmured words. The robot had the gall to press his hands against Giovanni’s chest and Archer seethed, turning away.

 

Petrel gasped next to him and Archer turned back just in time to see Giovanni pull away from a kiss.

 

For a moment, Archer felt numb. There was no mistaking it now. Giovanni was romantically involved with the robot.

 

Archer threw him one last glare before they left.

 

“So what was this emergency?” Giovanni asked again when they were in the car. Archer gave him the short version, telling him about the man who had been bothering their business for quite some time now had crossed several lines.

 

Giovanni groaned. “We need to take him out, like we should have done ages ago.”

 

“Couldn’t agree more,” Archer said.

 

***

 

Of course, things didn’t go as planned and the man shot Giovanni in the shoulder. Proton managed to take the man down in the resulting chaos. Ariana called an ambulance and Archer ordered Proton and Petrel to get rid of the body before joining them in the hospital.

 

Giovanni was loaded into the ambulance and Ariana told Archer to go with Giovanni.

 

“I’ll see you at the hospital,” she promised.

 

In the ambulance, Archer remembered how gently Giovanni had smiled at the robot and called him “ _amore_ ”... Archer shook himself. Now was not the time for that. He could be jealous and bitter later. Now his job was to make sure Giovanni was as comfortable as possible.

 

They arrived to the hospital without problems and Giovanni was taken to surgery. Petrel and Proton arrived soon after in clean clothes. Ariana arrived after them, with the robot.

 

“Seriously? You brought the robot?” Archer hissed to Ariana.

 

“He deserves to be here,” Ariana replied, giving him a look.

 

“What for? Giovanni doesn’t even care about him. The only reason he took the robot in was because…”

 

“Archer,” Ariana said, with a warning tone.

 

Archer lifted his hands up.

 

An hour passed before a nurse appeared and called for Ariana.

 

“How is he?” Ariana asked.

 

“He is fine now,” the nurse said with a small smile. Everyone relaxed.

 

Ariana sent the robot to see him first. He left and Archer wasn’t happy about it.

 

“ _He_ gets to go first? I’m Giovanni’s right hand man!” Archer hissed when the robot was out of earshot.

 

“You saw how upset he was,” Ariana said, “I didn’t want to keep him in that state for longer.”

 

“Why are you so upset about it anyway?” Petrel asked, “You’ll see him when Cy-man comes out.”

 

“You don’t see it, do you?” Archer huffed.

 

Petrel shrugged. “See what?”

 

“Giovanni has changed,” Archer said, crossing his arms, “And not for the good. He’s gone soft.”

 

“I don’t know,” Proton said, stretching out, “It just sounds to me that you’re bitter ‘cus he didn’t choose you.”

 

Archer bristled and Petrel muttered: “Yikes…”

 

“I am _not_ bitter!” Archer hissed, “I just think Giovanni deserves better than… than _him_!”

 

“I think they’re pretty cute together,” Proton smirked.

 

“Proton,” Ariana said in a warning tone.

 

“I’m sure they’re not _actually_ together, though,” Archer said, “I’m sure it’s just some plan Giovanni has to keep him here.”

 

Ariana’s face was carefully blank, Proton was still smirking and Petrel looked kind of sad, as if he was looking at something pitiful.

 

“It’s baffling that he still thinks that Giovanni _actually_ cares about him,” Archer scoffed. He briefly noticed Ariana and Petrel paling.

 

“Archer,” Ariana said quickly, “We can go see Giovanni now.”

 

Archer turned around and was shocked to see the robot right behind him. He quickly recovered from his shock and pushed past him, striding towards Giovanni’s room.

 

He didn’t care how much he heard. The robot would have to find out some day. Not that it would hurt him too much. After all, he had no feelings, did he?

 

***

 

Giovanni recovered quickly and he was discharged a few days later. Archer arrived to assist him, exactly at the same time as the robot did.

 

Red hot jealousy flared up in him and he couldn’t stop himself from speaking up.

 

“You’re still here,” he said calmly, hiding his inner turmoil.

 

The robot frowned, trying to imitate confusion. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

 

“I would have expected you to figure it out by now.” It was so painfully obvious!

 

“...Figure what out?”

 

“You haven’t even thought about the reason why he took you in, haven’t you?” Archer sneered.

 

The robot said nothing.

 

Archer decided to make it easier for him. “It wasn’t his good will.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Ask him,” Archer smiled, “I’m sure he’d love to tell.”

 

***

 

Later that day, Giovanni sent him a curt message: _See me._

 

Archer knew it wasn’t a good sign, but a small, twisted part of him hoped this would mean that Giovanni and the robot had broken up.

 

When he arrived at Giovanni’s house, it was deceivingly empty and quiet. Not even Giovanni’s Persian was around. And more importantly, the robot or his pokemon was nowhere to be seen. Archer headed to Giovanni’s office, like he always did.

 

Giovanni was sitting at his table, looking pale and sour. He was tenderly holding his right shoulder.

  
“Sit.” He didn’t even smile like he usually did when he met with someone.

 

Archer sat down, dread settling in his stomach like a heavy stone.

 

Giovanni didn’t say anything in a while, just stared at Archer with a deep frown. Archer was starting to feel nauseous with panic.

 

“What the _hell_ , Archer?” Giovanni finally said. “What the hell did you say to him?”

 

Archer opened his mouth to explain himself, but no sound came out. Giovanni waited, so Archer had to force his vocal chords to work.

 

“I… I just told him the truth, sir.”

 

Giovanni leant back in his chair, looking incredibly unimpressed. “And, pray tell, what is the ‘truth’?”

 

Archer chewed his lip. “That taking him in was just part of a plan for you… that you… you don’t…”

 

“That I don’t what?” Giovanni asked, voice deceivingly soft.

 

Archer attempted a laugh. “That… you _really_ don’t feel for him, right, sir? It’s just a ploy to make him stay, right?”

 

Giovanni stared at him in barely concealed shock. “And what made you think that I hadn’t changed my mind about deceiving him?”

 

Archer was speechless.

 

“I want to know what was the thought process behind this,” Giovanni said, still terrifyingly calm, “What made you do this, Archer?” _You are better than this_ , said Giovanni’s tone, _I’m disappointed in you._

 

Archer was still grasping for his voice. “You.... you deserve someone better than him, sir.”

 

“Really. Someone like who?”

 

“...S-someone loyal. Someone who knows you and has been with you for a while and would do anything for you.”

 

As Archer spoke, Giovanni’s frown cleared and he looked… shocked? “...Someone like you?”

 

Archer paled more.

 

Giovanni’s shocked look changed to pity and Archer’s eyes started stinging painfully. “Oh, Archer…” Giovanni said, voice soft. Genuine.

 

Archer opened his mouth, but all that came out was a shivering breath. His vision blurred as tears started overflowing. “D-don’t… Please, sir...”

 

Giovanni sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Go home, Archer. Pack your things. You’re moving to Johto.”

 

Blood froze in Archer’s veins. “B-but sir!”

 

Giovanni lifted his hands and Archer’s protests died. “This is your punishment. You put your nose into where it did not belong and you hurt my boyfriend. I will not accept that.”

 

“Sir!”

 

“I trusted you, Archer. You were one of the best men I had,” Giovanni said. The words hurt more than a knife in the gut. “If you were anyone else, I wouldn’t hesitate firing you. And maybe arranging your disappearance. But I… You have proven to be extremely loyal and reliable countless of times. I have lost count of the times you have saved my life. You are a valuable asset to me. But now…” Giovanni sighed. “You betrayed me, Archer.”

 

Archer looked down, unable to meet Giovanni’s eyes. “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean…”

 

“Mm-hm. I’m sure you didn’t. But you did. Just be happy I’m not going to have you killed. Now go, you have to pack. I’ll send some people to help.”

 

Numbly, Archer stood up and walked to the door.

 

“Archer,” Giovanni said.

 

Archer stopped, hope flickering in his chest.

 

“You know how I feel about dating my employees, yes? It would have never worked. But… I hope you find someone who cares about you.”

 

Archer just turned away and left without a word.

 

On the bright side, he had missed Johto for a long time now...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not completely happy with this chapter... It feels rushed. 
> 
> Also, sorry for the unhappy end! Archer meets someone more suitable for him in Johto, let me assure you.


End file.
